Bhubaneswar: The Bhubaneswar-Konark-Puri route is set to witness a major shift towards sustainable transportation with the introduction of hydrogen-fuelled buses under the National Green Hydrogen Mission. The Government of India has launched five pilot projects aimed at using hydrogen in buses and trucks, marking a significant step towards reducing carbon emissions and promoting clean energy solutions.

Government’s Initiative for Hydrogen-Based Transport

The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy has sanctioned five pilot projects after inviting proposals for various hydrogen-based vehicles, routes, and hydrogen refuelling stations. Following a detailed evaluation, the ministry approved a total of 37 vehicles, comprising 15 hydrogen fuel cell-based buses and trucks and 22 hydrogen internal combustion engine-based vehicles. Additionally, nine hydrogen refuelling stations will be set up to support these operations.

Hydrogen-Fuelled Vehicles to Operate on 10 Routes

The hydrogen-powered buses and trucks will operate on ten routes across India.

1. Bhubaneswar-Konark-Puri

2. Greater Noida-Delhi-Agra

3. Ahmedabad-Vadodara-Surat

4. Sahibabad-Faridabad-Delhi

5. Pune-Mumbai

6. Jamshedpur-Kalinga Nagar

7. Thiruvananthapuram-Kochi

8. Kochi-Edappally

9. Jamnagar-Ahmedabad

10. NH-16 Visakhapatnam-Bayyavaram

Leading Companies to Implement Pilot Projects

Prominent companies such as TATA Motors Ltd, Reliance Industries Limited, NTPC, ANERT, Ashok Leyland, HPCL, BPCL, and IOCL have been entrusted with implementing these projects. The Government of India has allocated approximately Rs. 208 crore to support the selected projects, which are expected to be commissioned within the next 18-24 months.

National Green Hydrogen Mission: A Step Towards Clean Energy

The primary objective of the National Green Hydrogen Mission is to introduce Green Hydrogen as a fuel in buses and trucks in a phased manner. These pilot projects aim to:

a) Demonstrate the safe and efficient operation of hydrogen-based vehicles.

b) Assess technical feasibility and performance.

c) Evaluate economic viability.

If successful, these initiatives could pave the way for large-scale adoption of hydrogen-powered transportation, significantly contributing to India's transition to clean energy.